“When we launched CBC TECH 2020, we set out to change the workforce landscape of the tech industry, making it more diverse and inclusive of African-American talent,” said CBC Chairman Butterfield. “Over the last year, the CBC Diversity Taskforce has been successful in taking our message across the country and to the heart of Silicon Valley where we have met with tech companies large and small and non-profit organizations to address the gap in minority talent among all levels of the technology industry. CBC TECH 2020 had a successful year and we will continue our efforts to get more African Americans in the tech talent pipeline.”

“Diversity in tech has been an afterthought for too long. Addressing the massive lack of African-American talent in the tech sector is a moral and economic imperative,” said Congresswoman Barbara Lee, co-chair of the CBC’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. “In just the past year, the CBC TECH 2020 Initiative has made significant progress in developing partnerships that will help expand access and opportunity to the tech sector and computer science skills. However, much work remains, including advancing the President’s Computer Science for All agenda, to ensure techquity.”

Since its establishment in 1971, members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) have joined together to empower America’s neglected citizens and address their legislative concerns. To learn more about the Congressional Black Caucus, visit http://cbc-butterfield.house.gov.